Saturday August 17, 2012 Lincoln Creek One Day Horse Trials
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This event was a particularly monumental competition for the
big spotted horse and I. First off, it is our debut riding in the Beginner
Novice division (slightly more complicated and longer courses and jumps up to
2’7” in height). AAANND; Mom and Dad were there to spectate and help
out!!! They had planned their trip to
the northwest in conjunction with one of our competitions so they could be sure
to come watch us! Yay!!
So, Friday night Mom and Dad came out to the barn with me to
meet Deuce and Flash and then help us get ready. They graciously carted gear out
to the trailer and then helped in giving Deuce a much needed bath. I wanted
those white spots to really shine! I think Deuce really enjoyed having a staff
to dote all over him, too.
Saturday morning was not too terribly early. My most awesome
husband and I loaded up Deuce and Mom and Dad followed us on up to the
event. Deuce did not have any of his
barn mates with him so he was pretty happy to hang out with me and his “staff”
at the trailer and look around at all the other activity around him with casual
interest.
After getting the big spotted boy settled with a bag of hay,
I picked up our number and course map, and we all set out to walk the course
and pick out some of the better spots to view the majority of the cross country
ride later in the afternoon.
The course proved to be very similar to the order that we
took when schooling it with my coach early in the week. It’s a good thing Deuce
and I had successfully taken on nearly all of the jumps on the course as some
of the obstacles were looking a bit stout and tall as I took a look at them up
close.
Back at the trailer, we got Deuce dusted off and tacked up
and ready for dressage warm up. I think I got on too early and then it did not
help that they were running late to boot. Deuce warmed up great with lovely
transitions, big forward trot, attentiveness to my cues and softness in the
bridle. After about 30 minutes we were ready for our test, but we still had a
long time to wait before it was our turn. I did not want to get him too tired,
so we walked around for awhile and visited with some of my fellow competitors
in warm up. There was a big young and fancy warmblood who was enamored with
Deuce. Every time we passed each other, he would either lock his hears on him
or turn all the way around to follow him (if his rider let him) It was really
funny to see his fascination with the big boy, his rider and I couldn't decide if it was Deuce’s spots, his
demeanor or what that led to such an attraction but we both certainly got a
laugh out of it.
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| Test is over, there's that smile! |
Finally it was time for our dressage ride so we walked
around the outside and waited for the bell. The Dressage arena was situated
just on the other side of the creek from the start of cross country course and
Deuce found it hard to focus when he could see a rider and horse’s head every now and then up over
the shrubs. Well, that will be fun. I put him right to work and hoped to keep
him busy enough with all the cues to not give him any time to think about the
cross country course. My family was on the side lines ready to cheer us on and
reminding me to smile! So my stay busy strategy worked pretty well, he was
quite correct and forward except for his free walk. He took that time to lolly
gag down the diagonal. I tried to push him forward without being obvious or having
him break into a trot but be was not having it so much for a big score with the
coefficient factor. The rest of the test was okay, nothing spectacular. I still
need to work on loosening up and letting him move forward.
Dressage went late and it did not leave us much time to get
a tack change and over to the cross country course. However, we had lots of
help so we were ready to go in record time. Deuce and I hopped over the warm up
jumps a couple times and we were ready to go.
He was nice and supple and forward and ready to jump. My job was to keep
him together and sit tall, keep my leg on and keep him straight.
We set off to the first log and we were on course. Deuce
settled into a nice big canter and was waiting for my direction to each
obstacle. After the logs came the infamous
red roll top right near the main path area to the trailers (I had been warned
to not take that jump for granted as many horses had stops there since there
was so many distractions). I remembered
that on our approach to “big red” and sat up with my leg on and said “GO” but
really, he did not need any encouragement. There was no question as to if he
were to go or not. He was already looking for the next jump. We had a long
gallop to the stout looking table. So I worked on keeping him together and
staying organized, we have a much better ride when he is not so strung out and
galloping fast… so we took the open space as an opportunity to work on staying
together. We’re getting there… he came together a bit, then on approach to the
table he was completely focused and I sat tall and he launched! We sailed over,
landed and cantered on, going across the road over a ditch, the around the
corner to the ramp and off through the next field for anther stretch of gallop.
We were having such a blast! Deuce had such a lovely forward and rhythmic pace!
No fence backed him off, he just jumped and cantered on. It was an amazing
ride!
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NAILED that roll top BENDY LINE!
and already looking for the next jump! |
Then it was around the ditches and then over 5, a roll top and a sharp right
turn and about 4 strides to 6, another slightly bigger roll top. Lots of folks were opting to take a circle after the first roll top then getting a straight line to the next one. But I like a good challenge... That exact approach is our nemeses
as it sets Deuce up to easily pop his left shoulder and run out if I don’t keep
him straight. But why make it easy with straight lines and circles!? . We were both on our game. We jumped the roll
top looking right and I sat tall, held my outside (left) leg and he went nice
and straight right over, looking for the next hurdle. What a thrill!! We
carried on making our way to the water, where we had a nice big log, then over a ramp,
turn down into the water. Again he was game to just keep going down in the
water and splash, splash through and out, then 5 strides up to a ramp. No
trouble at all and canter on to our bench with an odd angle, then up a steep
slope to the lookout hill and down the other side, then out and around a corner
through the brush and a log/stacked hay bale jump then gallop to finish!!!
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| Last jump to finish line! |
WAAA
HOOOO!!! Clean round and a wonderfully fluid ride!!! We were both soo proud of ourselves!
We had a nice walk back to meet up with Russ and Mom and Dad. Time was tight
again and the Stadium course was only going to be open a few more minutes for
course walking. So Deuce and I hoofed it over to the course, Russ met us there
and kindly held him while I took a walk around the twisty course. I was really
happy that it had some very interesting and colorful jumps, but of course that
makes me worry a little too… and when I worry, he worries and backs off stuff
and that’s when we have run outs or stops. But all these bright colors and
shapes will be good for us to learn to work it out!!
We went back to the trailer for another break, had some water,
ate a bite or two and even had a moment to go check scores…. Deuce and I were at
the top of the list… in FIRST PLACE!!! I could not believe it. Our Dressage
score had us in 4th but our clean cross country moved us to first! (Time
was not being calculated into scores at this event, so penalties were only
coming from faults from jumping rounds) Second Place was only 3 points behind
us, so if we pulled one rail, we lost our placing. Pressure is on!!!
We got tacked up again and headed off to warm up for our stadium
ride. I started thinking about the course, and each turn and keeping him together
to minimize the possibly of pulling rails. After some trot and canter transitions,
we hopped over a few warm up fences again and were feeling pretty good. So we
went and watched a few rounds of the course.
I say we, because Deuce was really studying too… he focused on each
horse in the arena and followed every turn. It’s like he was learning where to
go too!! Soon it was our turn so we
trotted smartly in, made our warmup circle, listened for the whistle and then
crossed the start line. The course was fairly tight, which works in favor of
one who is trying to keep a fired up horse together for each fence (which is exactly
what I had on my hands!) Deuce LOVES jumping as soon as I cued for canter he
was locked on the first fence and never took a sideways glance ant the bright
colors and shapes!
He sailed over with a lovely depart and landing. All I had
to do was keep him together, steer him to the next fence, find the line and he
would take me to it. No qualms at all about what they looked like! It was another
pretty awesome ride really. Fence 7 to 8 was a bendy line left about 5 strides
between. I nearly forgot to make the turn to 8… on stride 3 of the landing I remembered
to look left and find my next fence, and point him to it. I felt bad for Deuce, it was a cruddy approach
but somehow he found the distance and came around the corner and cleared it without
even touching a rail! Whatagoodboy! Yeah, I was loud with praise on the landing
after that one! He pulled the weight for the team for sure! We had a combination 2 stride which he went
into and out of beautifully straight and then around another left turn and an
oxer then around to the last fence and finish line!!! No Rails! Clean round! We
did it!!
Mom and Dad and Russ all greeted us at the exit gate with praises
and pats and rubs and hugs for both Deuce and I. We felt like such champions! We went back to the trailer to un tack, eat,
celebrate a little, pack up and wait for final score postings…. and that pretty
blue ribbon!
To have such great rides and have my family there made the event pretty special as it was, but to end up with a blue ribbon at the end of the day made for a pretty awesome way for a debut
to the Beginner Novice division!!!
